The Beginning Ch. 03-07

Chapter 7- A Challenge

25^th January, 2013

9:22 a.m.

Location Unknown

When I woke up, I felt like I'd been sleeping forever. I was better rested than I'd ever been before, and everything that'd happened felt like a dream.

"Hey," a voice called out softly from the right, "how do you feel?"

I turned around to see Vaishnavi sitting there, smiling softly at me. She was dressed in a weird red top that wrapped around her torso, leaving her arms, shoulders, and midriff bare, and a pair of baggy red pants. A red shawl that she draped across her chest and over her shoulders, a set of bracelets around her upper arms, and a pair of what looked like bamboo slippers completed her ensemble.

"I feel great," I replied, sitting up, "Where am I?"

"You're at the Academy," she said, "We brought you here after you Emerged."

"I 'emerged'?" I asked, "What is that supposed to mean? And what 'academy' am I at? Is it the same one my dad went to?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" she asked, concern clouding her face.

"I remember my parents dying," I replied softly, "nothing else after that."

Surprisingly, I didn't feel any overwhelming sorrow at that memory, just a cold rage. I was going to avenge them, somehow, that much I knew for certain.

"Okay," she replied, "stay right there. I'll be right back."

She walked out of the room, and I just sat there, taking in my surroundings. The memory of a conversation tugged at my mind, but I just couldn't remember it.

"Chris," Vaishnavi said, walking back in, "this is Rishi Vashistha. He's the Dean here."

Rishi Vashistha was dressed in a pair of baggy black pants and had a shawl draped across the back of his neck, the ends hanging down his torso. His arms, from his shoulders down to his wrist, were completely encased in some sort of armor, but the rest of his upper body was bare, and I could see that he was in great shape. His muscles were defined but not bulky, and a number of scars crisscrossed his stomach and chest. The plates at his shoulders resembled a lion's roaring head on either side. He too, was wearing a pair of those slippers.

"Hello Chris," he said in greeting, beaming a warm smile at me, "How are you?"

"I am quite well," I replied, his voice sounding eerily familiar, "thank you."

"I assume," he said, "that you're quite confused and have a lot of questions."

"I do," I said, "but first, where are my parents' bodies?"

"You didn't tell him?" he asked Vaishnavi.

"No Rishiji," she replied, "I came to get you as soon as he woke up."

"Alright," he said, turning back to me, "Vaishnavi, why don't you go get Chris here a set of clothes? Once he's dressed, I'll take him to the Gates. In the meantime, please get the others and wait for us near the Great Tree."

"Of course, Rishiji," she replied, bowing, before turning around and leaving my room again.

"Rishiji," I said, breaking the silence that followed, "what does that mean?"

"It's an old Sanskrit term," Rishiji replied, "which roughly translates into 'saint' or 'sage'."

"You're a sage?" I asked unabashedly.

"In a manner of speaking," he replied, smiling, "yes."

"I've never heard of a sage who wore armor," I said.

"Well then," he replied, "you obviously haven't studied Indian history or mythology. Sages here are more than just holy men. They are also teachers and warriors, advisors and ministers. Some sages have even commanded whole armies."

"Huh," I grunted, "more stuff I didn't know."

The silence resumed again, but it wasn't as tense as I'd expected. Rishi Vashistha gave off a very calming air, one that spoke of infinite wisdom and great age.

"Ah," he said, turning as someone else walked into my room, hidden from my sight, "Dasheer. I thought you might be here. Helping the Healers out again?"

"Yes Rishiji," he said, bowing and handing him a bundle of clothes, "My Talents fit in well here."

"I'd have expected no less from a Dove-Bonded," Rishiji said, smiling.

Dasheer just bowed, before turning around and leaving.

"Here you go, Chris," Rishiji said, turning around and keeping the clothes on my bed, "These might be a little different from what you're used to, but I think you'll figure them out just fine."

He walked out, shutting the door behind him, leaving me all alone in the room. Shrugging, I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, stretching leisurely. I was wearing a white hospital gown which I shrugged off, before picking at the bundle on my bed. There were two huge bracelets and a length of white cloth, a pair of slippers that I could now see were definitely made from bamboo, and a pair of baggy white pants.

"What the heck?" I murmured, digging around for something more, but that was all there was to it.

Looking around, I saw a bag in one corner of the room, which looked a lot like a duffel bag I had back home. Opening it, I found that somebody had emptied my underwear drawer into it, and nothing else. Sighing in defeat, I tugged on a pair, and studied the pants on my bed. Pulling them on, I secured them with the drawstring at the waist. I felt a tugging at my ankles, and watched in silent amazement as the bottoms cinched themselves tight, and now clung to my ankles. Assuming that the bracelets would do the same, I slipped them onto my arms, but they slipped right off. Shrugging again, I decided to just carry them with me, and wrapping them in the other length of cloth, I slipped my feet into the slippers, and walked out.

"Rishiji," I said, as he turned to look at me, "I need some help with these bracelets and this other cloth."

"The cloth," he said, taking it from my hands, "you just drape around your neck, with the ends hanging over your torso."

"The bracelets on the other hand," he said, after I'd done so, "are called arm cuffs, and need a tinge of magic."

He indicated that I should hold my arms out towards him, and when I did so, he slipped the cuffs up onto my bicep on either arm. They glowed for a second, before shrinking and wrapping comfortably around my arms.

"Thank you," I said, bowing my head, "and I apologize for my earlier rudeness. It was uncalled for."

"No need to apologize," he said, as we turned and walked down the hallway, "I can understand the way you must feel right now. Just trust that all will be clear soon."

*****

Only one word can describe what I saw as we walked out the doors of the hospital: Impossible. Right in front of me rose a tall oak tree that was around thirty metres tall, easily the tallest tree I'd ever seen. Except that in the forest I was looking at, it was pretty average. That wasn't what was boggling my mind, however.

"We're in a forest-" I murmured, looking around.

"Technically," Rishiji replied, "this is a grove."

"-that's inside a building?!" I finished, refusing to believe what my eyes were telling my brain that I was seeing.

Rising high above the tops of the trees, was what was clearly a glass roof, and visible in the distance, were multiple rooms full of people bustling around. The ground was covered in grass, and I could even see the sparkle of a bubbling brook that meandered through the grove. Birdcalls filled the air, and I could have sworn that I saw a doe flitting about.

"How is this possible?" I asked, stunned with disbelief.

"That's a rather silly question!" a high-pitched male voice said from behind me, "It's magic, of course!"

I turned around to see a young boy standing there, dressed just like me. His arm cuffs however, were branded with two different insignias- the one on his right hand bore the likeness of a stag, while the one on his left had a massive tree with seven people sitting atop it. He wore a ring just like Vaishnavi had, only his was shaped like a stag, and he even had a sword belted at his waist.

"Rahul," Rishiji said in a reprimanding tone, "is that how you talk to people who are new to our world?"

"No Rishiji," he said, bowing his head, "I apologize for my rudeness."

"Your apology, child," Rishiji said, "should be addressed to the one you mocked, not to me."

"I am sorry, Bhaiya," Rahul said, "My words were harsh and uncalled for. Please forgive me."

"Nothing to forgive," I replied, waving his apology away with a smile, "It was a rather silly question, wasn't it?"

The kid broke out in a wide smile, and Rishiji laughed too.

"You got lucky this time, Rahul!" he said, "Chris here doesn't seem like the type to hold a grudge. Yet, I think you need to make it up to him."

"Of course, Rishiji," Rahul replied, "How may I do so?"

"Take him to see Vaishnavi and Ronald," Rishiji said, "You will find them beneath the Sacred Tree, in the forest."

"At once!" he replied, closing his eyes and murmuring something into his ring.

"Is he casting a spell?" I asked Rishiji in a whisper.

"No," Rishiji replied, "he's reaching out to his Companion, asking it for aid."

"His what?" I asked, right as a giant Stag, pulsing with a silver glow, appeared in front of us.

"Gah!" I exclaimed, backpedaling rapidly, "Where did that come from?"

"From the Other Dimension, of course!" Rahul replied, as the Stag walked up to him, and nuzzled his cheek.

"Hold your questions for now," Rishiji said, seeing the expression on my face, "you will get all your answers in a few moments."

"Right!" Rahul said, as the Stag folded its legs underneath it and sat down on the ground, "Get on."

I looked at Rishiji questioningly, but when he just nodded, I walked up to the Stag slowly, watching it in case it decided that it didn't like me. As I got closer and looked it in the eye, a single word resounded around me.

"Chosen," a deep and melodious voice said.

"What?" I asked, looking around, "Who said that?"

"Who said what?" Rahul asked, as he scrambled onto the Stag.

"Didn't either of you hear it?" I asked, looking at both of them.

Both of them just shrugged and gave me a blank look that told me they had no idea what I was talking about.

"I must have imagined it," I murmured to myself, walking forward and climbing onto the Stag's back.

I almost fell off however, as it rose up without warning, throwing my balance off completely. Giving me a look that told me to hold on, it set off, walking towards the largest set of stone doors I'd seen in my life. As we drew closer, I saw that the doors were inscribed with beautiful murals, all of which probably depicted some battle long past, or a great achievement worth setting in stone. Past the door were a long set of stairs which descended onto a forest floor. Trees surrounded us completely, except for where the steps were, and quite honestly, it looked like something out of a fantasy movie. With a neigh of excitement and a quick warning from Rahul to hold on, the Stag jumped into the air, bounding down the stairs and into the forest at a breakneck speed.

"This is insane!" I managed to yell, ducking as a branch rushed towards my head.

"Insane fun, yeah!" Rahul agreed, whooping wildly.

I just shook my head and held on for dear life, praying that I wouldn't land up in the hospital moments after I'd left it.

*****

"You can let go now!" Rahul said with a laugh, and I cracked an eye open to see that my arms were wrapped around him in a death hold.

I laughed nervously, letting go of him and sliding off the Stag, stumbling as my feet hit the ground.

"So, we're here?" I asked, looking around.

"Almost," he replied, pointing to the right, "The Tree is twenty paces in that direction. This is the closest we can get with Chira here, so you'll have to walk the rest of the way."

"Okay," I said, glad I didn't have to go through that ride again, "what am I looking for, exactly?"

"You'll know when you see it!" he exclaimed, before the Stag reared up and turned around, bounding back the way we'd come.

"Okay," I murmured, turning in the direction he'd pointed out, "I'm looking for a Scared Tree that I'll 'know when I see' in the middle of a forest that could potentially house animals the size of a small house. Just perfect."

Cursing everything I could think of under my breath, I made my way through the foliage, the trees and bushes forming an almost impenetrable wall in front of me. The deeper I foraged, the thicker it got, and the angrier it made me. Suddenly, my hand burst through a bunch of creepers and into empty air, the sudden lack of greenery taking me by surprise. My anger coupled with the anticipation of more plants behind the vines had caused me to push through with more force than necessary, and with nothing to support my weight, I fell through, right on my face.

"I must say," a feminine voice said, as I grumbled and picked myself up, "that has to be the clumsiest entrance I've ever seen anybody make."

"Ease up, Swati," Vaishnavi said, "he's new here."

I was in a clearing surrounding the largest tree I'd ever seen. It was massive, over eighty meters tall at least, and around fifty metres in diameter. The rest of the forest stopped rather suddenly a hundred metres or so away from the tree, in Nature's very own show of respect. The sunlight filtering in through the leaves of the tree set patterns and shadows playing all across the clearing, and the air was silent, yet seemed to buzz with activity. It felt alive.

"The Sacred Tree," I whispered in awe, "It's magnificent."

"That it is," Mr. Ray said, smiling as he walked over to me, wrapping me in a tight embrace.

"Umm Mr. Ray?" I asked, "What's with the sudden show of affection?"

"You'll know soon enough, Chris," he said, letting go of me and standing by my side, looking up at the tree, "How do you feel?"

"Fine," I replied, "though my brain will probably implode if I don't get any answers soon enough!"

"Might not be such a bad thing," the other woman, Swati said softly.

Not softly enough, however.

"I'm sorry," I said sharply, looking at her, "who are you?"

"Chris," Vaishnavi said, stepping to Swati's side swiftly, "this is Swati Varunai, the acting Quartermaster while Ronald was away."

"Quartermaster?" I said, "The kind that handles weapons?"

"Is there any other?" Swati asked, her hand resting on an impressive double half-moon bladed battle axe she had at her waist.

"Swati," Mr. Ray said in a stern voice, "there's no need to be so aggressive. Chris really knows nothing of our world or our society."

"Be that as it may, Acharya," she said, "he questions my position and my authority. You ask me to let an insult like that slide unanswered? He needs to be taught his place."

"You talk tough," I said, something inside me snapping at the tone she was using and the way she was talking about me like I was a little boy, "How about we see if you can back up those threats?"

"Gladly!" she snarled, unbuckling her axe and setting it aside, along with a quiver stocked with arrows and an unstrung bow that I hadn't noticed on her back earlier, "We'll see how smart you are after I beat you to the ground."

"Swati-" Vaishnavi began.

"Stay out of this, Champion," Swati snarled, "and you too, Acharya. He made a clear challenge. All of us heard it. Now let me uphold my Dharma."

"Very well," Mr. Ray said, sighing heavily, "just don't overdo it, okay?"

"Don't worry," I said, bringing my fists up into a fighting position, "I can handle myself. I'll beat her just like I beat those knuckleheads at school."

He started to say something, but seemed to change his mind and just shook his head, before walking off to a side with Vaishnavi.

"Alright, wise guy," Swati said, setting into a stance I'd never seen before, taunting me with her left hand, "bring it!"

I stood there and studied her for a second, looking for a weakness. She was around five-foot-seven, and was lean, but the muscled sort of lean, not scrawny. Her midriff looked like you could shatter a wooden board across it without her feeling a thing, and she had an air around her that told me that I may have bitten off more than I could chew. She was dressed like I was, except for an additional wrap of cloth around her chest to keep her modest. She also wore her shawl with the fold facing forwards, and the loose ends hanging behind her. Her ring and the bracer on her right hand bore the visage of a Bear, and the bracer on her left hand bore the same markings Rahul's had. I assumed that those markings meant that she could summon a monstrous bear if she wanted to, and that she was from this place, whatever it was. I noticed that she stood with her legs spread like she was straddling a horse, but her feet were in one line, and her arms were up in front of her face. Her stance was wide and left her open to an assault from the side, and it also looked like her feet were too far apart to ground her properly. A good shove might just push her off balance.

I jumped into action, yelling out loud as I ran towards her, angling myself to the right and lowering my head and shoulders, intent on grabbing her around the waist and tackling her to the ground. Right as I got close enough to execute my attack, I felt something connect with my chin with enough force to lift me off the ground and send me flying across the clearing. Landing heavily on my back, I pushed myself shakily to my feet, trying to figure out what had happened. I turned around to see her finishing a somersault of sorts.

"My, my!" she said haughtily, "You really are Captain Obvious, aren't you?"

It was many weeks later that I would understand what she had done in that moment. Her stance, you see, was devised to invite someone to tackle her. When her attacker got close enough, she'd shift all her weight onto her back leg and push her body through the air, bringing her front leg up to kick the one charging her right in the jaw, using the same momentum to flip herself backwards, taking her out of range of any follow-up attacks that might come, while allowing her to burn off any excess energy and regain her balance. If she chose to, she could also use the energy from her flip to launch herself at another opponent as soon as she landed, and they wouldn't even see it coming!

Though I knew none of this then, I knew that I couldn't rush right at her, hoping to score a hit. It was obvious that she was highly skilled, and I had to be smart about fighting her. At the same time, I couldn't quite figure out how to draw her out. Deciding to play it by ear, I ran towards her again. This time though, instead of trying to tackle her, I attempted to slide across the ground like a baseball batsman sliding to a base. That turned out to be a big mistake, as (again, something I would find out weeks later) she shifted her weight to her front leg, flipping forward and bringing her other leg around in an overhead arc, connecting solidly with my chest and driving me into the ground. I wasn't about to let her get one up on me again though, and squinting through the pain, I managed to grab her leg tightly, hugging it for all I was worth.

It didn't faze her in the least however, and all she did was wrap her other leg around my neck, enacting a chokehold. As I began to run out of breath, my hold on her foot loosened, and black spots began to dance across my vision. An intense rage filled me at the futility of it all, my vision going red, before a different feeling rolled across me all of a sudden, pumping my body with a strength I'd never felt before. Holding my breath and overriding my body's natural instincts while paying heed to a more primal guide, I tightened my grip on Swati's foot, shifting my hands so my palms were holding either side of her calf. Concentrating all my strength, I twisted it with all my might, hearing a satisfying pop as her knee was forced out of its socket. She screamed in pain as she felt me dislocate her knee, involuntarily relaxing her other leg as well. Reaching behind me, I gripped her torso and brought her up and over, tossing her away with more strength than I even knew I had. She landed roughly and rolled across the ground, before stopping face-down in the dirt. I shakily got to my feet, taking in deep breaths of beautifully cool air, but as I stood there, just watching her, waiting to see what she'd do, I heard something spinning. Acting on instinct alone, I ducked, narrowly avoiding her axe, which was swinging hilt-over-blade through the air. A second later, and I probably would have been left with a stump where my head was. I watched awestruck, as her knee- which so far had been poking out at a weird angle- just popped back into place, right before she raised her hand while still lying on the ground. Her axe lifted off the ground and circled around to fly right into her palm from the front. In an impressive display of acrobatics, she allowed the force of her catch to flip her over, landing on her feet with her back towards me.